BEFORE YOU HEAD TO DIVORCE COURT (4 OF 8)

Before You Head to Divorce Court (4 of 8)
Series: Righteousness Redefined
Jeff Lynn
Matthew 5:31-32

If there were ever a topic that was hotly debated or where the reverence is diminished, it is the topic at which we are going to look this morning.

My goal this morning is certainly not to condemn anyone, but to see what Jesus says about divorce and remarriage.

Because Jesus also addressed this issue later in Matthew 19, we are going to look at the complementary passage as well, in order to shed light on this issue.

TEXT: Matthew 5:31-32; Matthew 19:3-9

As we've seen the past couple of weeks, Jesus is contrasting what the religious element of His day were teaching and doing, versus what God desires.

Remember, that Jesus is confronting the legalism and external righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees who thought they were innocent of the commandment concerning committing adultery by virtue of them not having sexual relations with another woman.

But we saw last week where Jesus said that if you look at a woman with lustful intent, you've already committed adultery in your heart.

This week Jesus is furthering that discussion by saying that if you divorce without biblical grounds and then remarry, you also commit adultery.

So, what is Jesus saying about divorce and remarriage?
What do we need to remember before we head to divorce court?

REMEMBER THE SACREDNESS OF MARRIAGE

At the beginning of all of the wedding ceremonies at which I have the privilege to officiate, I say, ''Marriage is a sacred institution''.

It is.

God's design was for one man and one woman to be united in a sacred covenant relationship who commit their lives to each other for life.

Remember, ''For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part?''

In Matthew 19:3-6, some of these Pharisees came up to Jesus and were testing Jesus about questions concerning the Law.

And Pharisees came up ...

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